Tips for Writers (‘Pencillers’)

Writing for a Dressage Judge is a great job – it gives you an opportunity to learn more about Dressage. A capable writer makes the work of judging much less stressful for a Judge!

Protocols for writers

  • Respect the confidentiality of Judges ie it is important that ‘What is said in the Judge’s Box, stays in the Judge’s Box’
  • Judges do not wish to hear background on competitors before they compete
  • Judges do not wish to know which riders are friends or relatives of their writers!

It helps if you:

1. Read through the test the evening before – so you are familiar with the test

2. Arrive 20 minutes before the test is due to start, and take a ‘comfort break’

3. Collect the board from the organisers. Your board should contain a Start List of horses – it should have several more sheets than there are horses on your Start List

3a). Check that you have the correct number of the correct test/tests – check both front & back of each sheet!

3b). Check for any additional withdrawals (scratchings) on the scoreboard

4. If possible, meet your judge beforehand, alternatively, be in the judge’s box or car well before the first horse approaches the arena so you can meet the judge.

5. Take 2black or blue pens with you, pencil is not accepted

Meeting the judge

Turn your mobile off before the competition commences

When you meet a new judge, it helps to tell them

  • If you have written before
  • If so, to which level

Check how each judge prefers to work:

  • Check that you have the same version of the test as the riders and the judge. This can prevent a delay when the first horse enters
  • Some judges prefer to give a comment first then a mark
  • Others prefer to give a mark first then a comment
  • Some prefer to write the Collective Marks and comments themselves
  • Some like you to prompt them if they miss a mark, others do not
  • Some prefer to put a mark in themselves when the test is finished

The Start List

Tick each horse off as they present to the judge’s box – this record can help the scorers if a test paper goes missing

Most judges like you to record the Collective Marks on the Start List for reference if there is discussion after the competition

Each sheet

Before each horse enters the arena

  • Ensure each horse’s number is clear at the top of each sheet
  • Fill in the top & bottom of each EA sheet
  • Ensure there is a mark for every movement
  • Ask the judge to initial any alterations to marks
  • If you have a query, be quick, so the judge can keep to time, this is very important for the horses and riders

Errors of course

Ensure EOCs are very clear for Scorers – note an EOC near the marks box– remember scorers do not read the Comments section. Circle the EOC at the bottom of the sheet

Use of voice

Ensure this is clear to Scorers – note it in the Comments box for the rider – include a minus 2 near the appropriate marks boxas well as at the bottom of the sheet

High priority

First - getting the marks down

Second - getting the comments especially for a 5 or lower…

Low priority

Spelling correctly (loose, lose, rhythm etc)

Being overly neat

Good writers:

  • Write the comments, they do not print them – printing is slow, block capitals are slowest of all – a definite ‘no no’
  • When a comment is in the wrong box – use an arrow to indicate where it should be. This is much quicker than crossing out the comment and rewriting it
  • Avoid ‘playing catch up’ if you or the judge misses a mark or comment. It saves time to write down the judge’s current comments, & at the end, to come back to the one that was missed. Try not to ask what a previous comment was when the judge is on the next movement
  • If you need to query a comment or mark, place a dot outside the box so you can find it easily later
  • Before you start a conversation with a runner, caterer, or organiser, be sure the judge has finished with each sheet, talking can make it hard for the judge to concentrate

Tip

When you look up from the sheet during a test, keep the pointer finger of your left hand on the next box in the test to find your place on the page easily.

WB 10.4.2012

Ways to condense a judge’s comments:

There is often more than one way to condense comments. If you adopt your own consistent approach to abbreviating, many shortened words will very quickly become automatic for you.

Riders will be able to read your abbreviated comments because each is written against a clearly defined context – ie a particular movement in a particular pace.

Some writers like to use symbols
Ocircle
□ square (square halt)
¼’squarters, hindquarters
↑ upward transition
↓ downward transition
½ O half circle
¾ three quarters
4’hdforehand
∟angle
~~wobbly line
↑↑parallel
^ perpendicular / Modifiers – it is important to include these, please do not omit them
Editing out all the modifiers (words like: slightly, quite, very, a little, at times can change the intended message – often it can make it much more severe). Try:
Ququite
Slslight
Vvery
Stdysteady
Fr fair
S’timessometimes
A litta little
Rthrrather
The first syllable & other key parts in the word are often best
Eng’tengagement
Subm’nsubmission
Resisresistance
Prep’npreparation
Suff’tsufficient
Insuff’tinsufficient
Mov’tmovement
Estab’destablished
Cad’cecadence
Relxt’nrelaxation
Main’tdmaintained
Antic’ganticipating
Unbal’dunbalanced
Disobdisobedient
Esp’lyespecially
Impr’vdimproved
Devel’ddeveloped
Unlevlunlevel
Wavr’gwavering
Unsett’dunsettled
Conf’tconfident
Consisconsistent
Modstmodest
Conservconservative
Delibdeliberate
Quick’dquickened / Key consonants alone can be useful
H’qushindquarters
Hsehorse
Mkrmarker
Lngthlengthened
Wkgworking
F’hdforehand
Bkwdbackward
Fwdforward
Strstraight
Str‘tnstraighten
F’hdforehand
Cntrcanter
Clrclear
Clr’yclarity
Sq haltsquare halt
Crp hicroup high
Crst hicrest high
Dnhilldownhill
Smthsmooth
Att’veattentive
Imprvimprove
Sometimes initials are best
CLcentreline
FRWfree rein walk
MWmedium walk
EWextended walk
CWcollected walk
WTworking trot
MTmedium trot
ETextended trot
FCflying change
CCcounter canter
MCmedium canter
ECextended canter / The first syllable is often enough
Balbalance
Transtransition
Impimpulsion
Medmedium
Extextended
Collcollected
Serpserpentine
Diagdiagonal
Elimelimination
Accaccurate
Flexflexion
Regregular
Vertvertical
More eg’s of first syllable & other key consonants in the word
Sust’dsustained
Pos’tnposition
Irregirregular
Tensntension
Tightntightness
Drift’gdrifting
Sus’tdsustained
Def’nddefined
Bettrbetter
Caut’scautious
Pos’tvpositive
Up transupward transition
Dn trans downward transition / Some like to use a shorter word in place of a longer one
Kept sustained(eg Halt well kept)
Kept maintained(eg Kept bal)
A bita little (eg A bit early to trot)
Loopsserpentine(egBent well on loops)
Thruthrough
Cdcould
Mrmore
Gdgood

Tricky Spelling

Rhythm

Losing - rhymes with snoozing

Loose – rhymes with goose

‘Practice writing’ can help you to build your confidence

If you are interested in writing for Dressage Judges, but do not feel entirely confident, a good way to start is to approach the organisers to see if you do some Practice Writing in the back of a judge’s car. Bring your own blank copies of a test to a competition, be ready to introduce yourself to the judge and official writer, then simply sit in & practice write. There is no pressure on you to get everything down, and practice will make you perfect!

WB 10.4.2012